Chapter 60 CHAPTER 60
\[JOANNA'S HOUSE\]
Joanna opened the door and was shocked to see Ixora at the front door.
"Xora, you're here," she said, unbelievably.
"Can I come in?"
"Do you even have to ask?" She shifted from the door, letting her in.
She closed the door.
"You should sit. I'd go get you something to eat," Joanna said, and wanted to leave when Ixora stopped her.
"No," Ixora smiled. "You don't have to worry. I'm fine."
Joanna sat down. "I saw the news. Hope you aren't hurt?"
Ixora shook her head.
"Were you out of the mall before the fire started, or..." Joanna trailed.
Ixora nodded, confirming Joanna's suspicion. "And he's the reason why I'm here."
"What happened?" Joanna asked.
"I don't just understand him. If he hates me, why does he keep on saving me? You know he was badly injured, and he got the injury while trying to save me," she exhaled softly.
If confusion were a person, then that would have been her. The harder she tries to understand him, the more confused she gets, and she feels her brain might explode any moment now.
She didn't even bother going home, knowing some people would be worried about her. Her answers are more important right now.
"And...?"
"What is tactile hypoesthesia?" Ixora asked, looking at Joanna.
"Did Drexton tell you that?" Joanna carefully asked.
Ixora nodded. "And when I tried to press further about it, he asked me to leave. I would have googled it, but I came to you. You are a doctor, so you should know, right?"
Joanna smiled, going to sit on the same couch with her. "He's beginning to open up to you," she said.
"Huh?"
"Tactile hypoesthesia is a neurological disorder characterized by reduced sensitivity to touch. What I'm trying to say is that he's numb. He can't feel, so when he didn't show a sign of discomfort earlier, it was because he wasn't feeling the pain. He found out about the condition eleven years ago, and since then, he has been living with it," Joanna explained, her eyes turning misty.
Ixora stared at her, looking completely dazed.
Drexton couldn't feel. He's numb.
"You said he found out when he was eleven, which means he wasn't born that way. What caused it?" Ixora asked, her curiosity getting deeper.
Joanna smiled and fondled her hair. "Curious cat. Drexton himself told you about his condition, so wait, soon he'll completely open up to you or maybe not. Just don't push it too hard; the truth will eventually come out."
"But—" Ixora exhaled, seeing she wasn't ready to tell her.
"Go home, Xora. Your family is waiting for you."
Ixora flashed her a smile and stood. "I will see you some other day then."
She wanted to leave when her eyes caught a mole on her neck. She stared at the mole longer than usual, feeling she had seen it on the same spot on someone.
She waved the thoughts off and left.
Joanna finally released the tears she had been holding in. She was glad, but the secret was eating deep within her. On the one hand was Drexton, whom she considers to be her son. She couldn't completely read him, but it was better than before. On the other hand, there's Blake and Audrey. Blake loves Ixora genuinely, and Drexton's obsession with revenge makes it hard to know if he still sees her as Georgia's younger version or as Ixora.
How would Drexton and Blake react when the truth comes out? Drexton has no idea she has a child, not a child, but twins and Blake...
How would she make them understand? She can't even face her kids. She always watches them from afar, and Drexton, she loves him so much. She had no idea if he'd cut off their relationship.
To worsen it all, Blake sees Drexton as an obstacle to him and Ixora. He hates Drexton.
She has been living with the guilt of running away from her kids and the guilt of lying to Drexton, Maddox, Jaxon and even Caius.
She couldn't find Blake and Audrey when she went back to get them, so she had lied to Caius that she had no kids.
Blake might forgive her, but she's sure Audrey would never—she even changed her name.
She sniffled, crawling to her knees. She lay on her face, her muffled cries filling the sitting room.
\[NELLY'S HOUSE\]
Ixora lay on the bed, her eyes wide open. She couldn't sleep, not after what Joanna told her.
When she returned home, as expected, she met Blake, Georgia, and Nelly worried about her as usual. She assured them, but refused to sleep in the house.
She needed to clear her head, and Nelly's house was the only option. She glanced at sleeping Nelly, took the duvet off her body and climbed out of the bed.
She feels like she's the only one left in the dark. She had asked her mother if she had once known of Drexton. Though her mother had said no, a part of her felt she was lying.
She will ask her father when he returns from his trip. She looked at the sky, staring at the beautiful stars with a smile on her lips.
He cares about her enough to get hurt while trying to save her. Whatever the reason is why he hates her, it has something to do with his childhood life.
Someone placed a hand on her shoulder, bringing her to earth.
"I thought you were sleeping. I couldn't sleep, so I decided to stand here," Ixora explained as if Nelly had asked her.
"I didn't ask you for an explanation."
She was already wearing her glasses.
"Xoxo, how did the mall catch fire?" Nelly asked.
"I have no idea. We were at the mall when, all of a sudden, the lights went off. They were trying to fix it when they announced the fire outbreak. Why are you asking?"
Nelly shook her head. "Do you by chance think it was done on purpose?"
"Now, you're overthinking. On purpose? Why would somebody be so heartless as to burn a mall? I don't believe it," Ixora said, shaking her head.
"Because of you, Xora. The inspector also found a pair of pliers on the floor and became suspicious. Think of it: a person once attempted to rape you, and the mall had to catch fire when you were in it. Something doesn't add up," Nelly spoke softly.
"I suspected the rape incident was done on purpose, but setting the mall on fire because of me... It's close to impossible. Nobody would be heartless enough to endanger so many people's lives because of me," she said, standing on her word.
"Why will a mall suddenly catch fire? I strongly believe it was done on purpose. Somebody out there is trying to kill you."
"I am suspecting that as well, but who would want to kill me? The rape incident looked planned, but planning a fire outbreak is..."
Nelly exhaled. "You are right. I'm worried about you, that's all. Let's go back to sleep," she smiled.
"Sure." Ixora climbed the bed and lay down, her back to Nelly.
Nelly stared at her back. "You are just too nice and you think that's how the world is," she muttered beneath her breath.
\[HELL DEVILS' HIDEOUT, BALCONY\]
"The CCTV has been destroyed. The police would be looking for dust if they tried looking for you," Jaxon said, joining Drexton on the balcony.
Drexton nodded, taking in a long drag.
His eyes caught the bandage wrapped around his arm. "You got hurt while saving her?"
"Had to do it," Drexton replied, puffing out smoke from his pipe.
Jaxon's lips curled up. "But, you hate dressing your wound. Did she make you do it?"
Drexton puffed out the smoke, saying nothing.
"The plan—"
"He's on his way to the Boma River," Maddox said, interrupting Jaxon.
A laptop was in his hand and currently tracking a person's location.
Jaxon turned to Maddox. "Why do we have to go after the person? Drexton already saved her."
"Remember our code, we don't kill the innocent..."
"Only the guilty," Drexton completed, putting off the pipe.
He faced Maddox. "The boat?"
"Waiting," Maddox replied.
"And the plans?"
"Ready," Jaxon replied, a smirk tugging at the corners of his lips.
The three of them went inside their respective rooms, and soon, they came out at the same time.
Black boots, socks, pants, gloves, leather jacket, and shaped nose masks... the hell devils'.
Jaxon hit the baton in his palm.
Maddox played with the edge of the blade, and Drexton rubbed his index finger along the cold metal of the gun.
"It wouldn't be fun. He'd be too easy. Should we go after the mastermind as well?" Jaxon asked, his voice coming out muffled because of the mask.
Maddox glanced at him. "We can't, not now."
"Let's go," Drexton said, and the three of them began leaving the hideout, one by one. Their boots echoed softly, blending with the danger that was coming.